Tips to help children maintain a healthy weight

Parents, guardians, and teachers can help children maintain a healthy weight by helping them develop healthy eating habits and limiting calorie-rich temptations. You also want to help children be physically active, have reduced screen time, and get adequate sleep.

The goal for children who are overweight is to reduce the rate of weight gain while allowing normal growth and development. Children should NOT be placed on a weight reduction diet without the consultation of a health care provider.

Develop healthy eating habits

To help children develop healthy eating habits:

• Provide plenty of vegetables, fruits, and wholegrain products.
• Include lowfat or non-fat milk or dairy products, including cheese and yogurt.
• Choose lean meats, poultry, fish, lentils, and beans for protein.
• Encourage your family to drink lots of water.
• Limit sugary drinks.
• Limit consumption of sugar and saturated fat.

Limit calorie-rich temptations

Reducing the availability of high-fat and high-sugar or salty snacks can help yourchildren develop healthy eating habits.

Only allow your children to eat these foods rarely, so that they truly will be treats! Here are examples of easy-to-prepare, low-fat and low-sugar snacks that are 100 calories or less:

• 1 cup carrots, broccoli, or bell peppers with 2 tablespoons hummus.
• a medium apple or banana.
• 1 cup blueberries or grapes.
• onefourth cup of tuna wrapped in a lettuce leaf.
• a few homemade ovenbaked kale chips.

Help children stay active
In addition to being fun for children, regular physical activity has many healthbenefits, including: strengthening bones, decreasing blood pressure, reducing stress and anxiety, increasing self-esteem, helping with weight management.

Children ages 3 through 5 years should be active throughout the day. Children and adolescents ages 6 through 17 years should be physically active at least 60 minutes each day.

Ensure adequate sleep

Too little sleep is associated with obesity, partly because inadequate sleep makes us eat more and be less physically active. Children need more sleep than adults, and the amount varies by age

Sources: CDC